The long-term objective of this project is a better understanding of normal preschool functioning and developmental risk factors in motor, language, cognition, self-help and behavior domains.
Specific aims i nclude refinement and validation of new, cost-effective screening which combines; 1) accuracy in predicting risk 20 sensitivity to the full range of mild to severe deficits, 30 cultural fairness, 4) applicability to Spanish-speaking children. In Year 1 the study will include sampling 593 normals, 200 at- risk (in two severity grouping) 210 Spanish speaking, and conducting reliability and validity studies. The focus will be a series of double cross- validation studies serving to identify an optimum set of items for further study. In year 2 the study will include sampling 1709 normals, 200 at-risk (in 2 severity groups). 210 Spanish-speaking, and conducting extensive decision consistency studies. The four primary goals are: 1) to establish equivalency scores and optimum cutpoints by comparisons with standardized criteria; 2) to establish the accuracy of predictions through extensive double cross- validation studies, 3) to analyze short-term predictive validity data and initiate a long-term predictive validity study, 4) to develop and validate a Spanish Version, 5) to eliminate item bias by analyzing of large ethnic minority group data.
